Lowering Advice - NOT coilovers

[Salim]

I've had cheap coilovers on every one of my otherwise well maintained BM's. I think I've finally realised I'm not 18 anymore and want to drive in relative comfort. Problem is I still need lows though!

I have a 330cd auto. They don't do sportlines for this car and I know it will only be a matter of days before I get sick of looking at it on the pro kit. 

 

Can I get away with sportlines from a 330ci? I know theres a 60kg weight difference but is it really going to be the end of the world?

If so, are there any other springs that you can recommend? Also going to buy new shocks, presumably the M Sport Sachs ones will be okay? I don't want to go to crazy spending money

 

[bungers]

Why not buy some expensive coilovers, then you can have lows and comfort?

[Salim]

Depends on what we consider expensive really. What worries me is that I've read about even expensive coilovers blowing their dampers. This is a real

concern for me given the pothole ridden city I live in.

The other concern is that a lot of people who have commented on the more expensive coilovers having a good ride quality have said the same of the s**t eBay ones so I'm not sure whether I can trust those reviews.

Thing is these cheap eBay coilovers really do feel good on nice long A roads but try driving on s**tty Birmingham backroads and it's a totally different story.

IIRC you had HSD mono's on your e46? I did consider dualtech's but I don't want to spend that kind of money to find out they ride the same as eBay jobbies.

Very confused atm..

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[Daz 330 Cs]

Cheapo adjustables definitely won't be riding the same as HSDs, nor will they last as long

[Dave330]

In reality, there's no way to go low and keep anything like the same amount of comfort as the standard car. The logic is simple - you're drastically reducing suspension travel and increasing stiffness/rebound to compensate. It just can't happen.

The only way you will retain any kind of comfort with the level of "lows" (I cringed just typing that) you want, is to do your research, get some passenger time and invest in VERY good coilovers with plenty of adjustment. Avoid the ones used by racers/drifters/sceners, and go with quality kit from known brands.

I remember "slamming" my mk3 Golf on £300 shocks/springs as a stupid teenager. Since then, I've kept suspension modifications much more moderate (Koni, Tein, Bilstein), and enjoyed reasonable comfort as a result.

[Salim]

I don't mind stiff suspension. The problem with s**t coilovers is that they are bouncy which is very annoying at low speeds and s**t scary when u hit a dip in the road on the motorway.

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[Dave330]

2 hours ago, Dave330 said:

The only way you will retain any kind of comfort with the level of "lows" (I cringed just typing that) you want, is to do your research, get some passenger time and invest in VERY good coilovers with plenty of adjustment. Avoid the ones used by racers/drifters/sceners, and go with quality kit from known brands.

Then there's your answer. Spend more, get better gear.

[Salim]

Yes but that's the question for around £600 max what coilovers are tried and tested.

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[Dave330]

Nothing that's going to give you anything like standard comfort. With that budget you're better off looking at fixed-height (-40mm or so) kits from some of the quality suppliers (H&R, Bilstein etc.).

I'm sorry not to be able to give you the magic bullet you're obviously looking for - if there was a set of coilovers that performed so well for so little cash, everyone would know about them (although someone may still have a gem up their sleeve). The reality is that top-drawer coilovers that give any semblance of ride comfort are going to be closer to £1k (if not over), otherwise you'll be making comfort concessions.

Try KW V3, Bilstein B16 or Eibach Pro-Street. Also, make sure you do some research on springrate options, as this is almost as important as quality shocks and adjustability.

[Nimraynn]

19 hours ago, Salim said:

IIRC you had HSD mono's on your e46? I did consider dualtech's but I don't want to spend that kind of money to find out they ride the same as eBay jobbies.

I'm running HSD DualTech's and the ride is no where near soft but it's definitely comfortable for coilovers. It's definitely better than the TA's I had before.

[R11CH]

On 14/01/2016 at 16:29, Dave330 said:

Nothing that's going to give you anything like standard comfort. With that budget you're better off looking at fixed-height (-40mm or so) kits from some of the quality suppliers (H&R, Bilstein etc.).

I'm sorry not to be able to give you the magic bullet you're obviously looking for - if there was a set of coilovers that performed so well for so little cash, everyone would know about them (although someone may still have a gem up their sleeve). The reality is that top-drawer coilovers that give any semblance of ride comfort are going to be closer to £1k (if not over), otherwise you'll be making comfort concessions.

Try KW V3, Bilstein B16 or Eibach Pro-Street. Also, make sure you do some research on springrate options, as this is almost as important as quality shocks and adjustability.

What this guy said.

I opted for the Bilstein and Eibach springs due to cost and performance. Decent coilovers will set you over 1k easy.

Kw, Ohlins, or Quantum Suspension, Quantum are based down in Sussex, quality at its best! All made in house to your specification, very knowledgeable guys there! I had a set of quantums for my track car, brilliant suspension but that was £1500 just for single adjustable coilovers.

[mjn]

You can save ~30% buying from Germany